Cancellation policy on booking changed without notice

[j-9]

Hi, I posted this on a somewhat related thread, but I think it got lost in the noise.

I am sailing in an SG suite in November.

-My booking confirmation from when I made the booking states no cancellation penalty before 75 days.

-I recently purchased a shore excursion, which triggered a new booking confirmation to be sent. The new confirmation states that cancellation penalties take affect 120 days out.

 

I phoned to get it corrected, and after the CS rep discussed with a supervisor, she came back and said the supervisor had put a note in my file, saying that my cancellation policy is 90 days.

I asked why 90 days, my original policy was 75 days, she replied, it is a holiday sailing (US Thanksgiving, I'm Canadian...), and the policy for holiday sailings is 90 days. When I asked why didn't my original booking show that, she replied that their system couldn't handle it automatically.

I asked for confirmation of the cancellation policy in writing, and she said not possible.

 

I find it absolutely unacceptable for NCL to change a cancellation policy on an existing booking.

I also found my interaction with the customer service rep to be entirely unsatisfying, leaving me with no escalation option.

 

I would like my original cancellation policy reinstated, in writing, but at this point am not sure how to achieve it. I have already tried socialmedia@ncl with no response.

Thanks for any suggestions,

[Sika Dellick]

Hi, I posted this on a somewhat related thread, but I think it got lost in the noise.

I am sailing in an SG suite in November.

-My booking confirmation from when I made the booking states no cancellation penalty before 75 days.

-I recently purchased a shore excursion, which triggered a new booking confirmation to be sent. The new confirmation states that cancellation penalties take affect 120 days out.

 

I phoned to get it corrected, and after the CS rep discussed with a supervisor, she came back and said the supervisor had put a note in my file, saying that my cancellation policy is 90 days.

I asked why 90 days, my original policy was 75 days, she replied, it is a holiday sailing (US Thanksgiving, I'm Canadian...), and the policy for holiday sailings is 90 days. When I asked why didn't my original booking show that, she replied that their system couldn't handle it automatically.

I asked for confirmation of the cancellation policy in writing, and she said not possible.

 

I find it absolutely unacceptable for NCL to change a cancellation policy on an existing booking.

I also found my interaction with the customer service rep to be entirely unsatisfying, leaving me with no escalation option.

 

I would like my original cancellation policy reinstated, in writing, but at this point am not sure how to achieve it. I have already tried socialmedia@ncl with no response.

Thanks for any suggestions,

 

Do you plan to cancel?

 

http://www.ncl.com/about/cancellation-fee-schedule

 

If the cruise is a US based cruise they would go by US holidays. Where you live is not relevant.

[garycarla]

Do you plan to cancel?.....

 

I too wonder this. Are you planning to cancel between the 90 day and 75 day mark?

[j-9]

Nope, not PLANNING to cancel, but as everyone knows, sometimes life gets in the way. And yes, I realize that where I live doesn't matter, was just explaining why it never entered my mind that my European based Canary Island cruise might be considered a holiday sailing.

 

My issue really is with the change to my contract. I had a contract with NCL and they have changed the terms without consultation or notification. When challenged, they have again modified the contract, but refused to provide the new contract in writing. As far as I'm concerned, I have not accepted those terms.

 

It is the principle. I get hung up on principle...

[Sika Dellick]

Nope, not PLANNING to cancel, but as everyone knows, sometimes life gets in the way. And yes, I realize that where I live doesn't matter, was just explaining why it never entered my mind that my European based Canary Island cruise might be considered a holiday sailing.

 

My issue really is with the change to my contract. I had a contract with NCL and they have changed the terms without consultation or notification. When challenged, they have again modified the contract, but refused to provide the new contract in writing. As far as I'm concerned, I have not accepted those terms.

 

It is the principle. I get hung up on principle...

 

 

Was the original cancellation in writing and different from what I sent you in the link? Verbal is subordinate to written. Unless somehting was changed in writing your contract did not change. Not trying to give you a hard time here just giving you info.

[cpcanuck]

Did you say you were in an S6 level cabin? That is a suite I believe.

 

Seems to me that for all suites the cancellation deadline is 120 days out - at least that was what I experienced. You may want to double check on this.

 

Maybe I'm missing something?

[j-9]

Was the original cancellation in writing and different from what I sent you in the link? Verbal is subordinate to written. Unless somehting was changed in writing your contract did not change. Not trying to give you a hard time here just giving you info.

 

Yes. My original written booking confirmation, directly from NCL, clearly states 75 days. No mention of 90 days for holiday sailings.

 

The unsolicited booking confirmation I received after booking a ShoreX had the 120 days policy.

[j-9]

Did you say you were in an S6 level cabin? That is a suite I believe.

 

Seems to me that for all suites the cancellation deadline is 120 days out - at least that was what I experienced. You may want to double check on this.

 

Maybe I'm missing something?

 

SG. This class, according to the online policy (link is in post above), is not subject to the 120 day policy.

[cpcanuck]

SG. This class, according to the online policy (link is in post above), is not subject to the 120 day policy.

 

Ah! Gotcha!

[NH Cruisers]

I was under the impression (maybe mistaken) that one could cancel with no penalty up to the final payment date. For my May cruise, that was 75 days out. I got the insurance in case "life gets in the way", so it is not that big a deal too me. But I know what you are saying. I see many different takes on this issue, and sometimes NCL isn't black and white. Is your final payment 90 out from your cruise or 120 days out?

[sparks1093]

Personally I wouldn't even worry about this unless I ended up having to cancel within the 90 day and 75 day window.

[che5904]

Sounds all very confusing. I can understand the change from 75 to 90 days and I can understand how mistakes can be made and systems can screw up.

 

But I really wouldn't worry about it unless you plan on cancelling in that last 15 days. Keep a copy of your original that says 75 days and if you happen to need to cancel in that last 15 days worry about it then. Most times when you call a company they have records of when you have called them and what for. So if there is an issue then you have your original paper work and probably a record at their end where you have phoned to tell them that it was incorrect in the first place.

 

If you are really stressed about this, go higher up the ladder and ask to speak to a supervisor.

[khaide612]

-I recently purchased a shore excursion, which triggered a new booking confirmation to be sent. The new confirmation states that cancellation penalties take affect 120 days out.

 

Purchasing a shore excursion triggers a new booking confirmation? :confused:

[Cubechick]

Purchasing a shore excursion triggers a new booking confirmation? :confused:

 

Yes it does. It's very confusing.

[j-9]

I was under the impression (maybe mistaken) that one could cancel with no penalty up to the final payment date. For my May cruise, that was 75 days out. I got the insurance in case "life gets in the way", so it is not that big a deal too me. But I know what you are saying. I see many different takes on this issue, and sometimes NCL isn't black and white. Is your final payment 90 out from your cruise or 120 days out?

 

My final payment date didn't change. It is still 75 days out. And I also thought final payment = cancel with no penalty date, but this is not the case now for my booking.

And in this case it doesn't matter because the price is going nowhere but up, and I have OBC for booking early, but I think my ability to take advantage of price drops would end at my cancellation date, rather than my final payment date.

[che5904]

My final payment date didn't change. It is still 75 days out. And I also thought final payment = cancel with no penalty date, but this is not the case now for my booking.

And in this case it doesn't matter because the price is going nowhere but up, and I have OBC for booking early, but I think my ability to take advantage of price drops would end at my cancellation date, rather than my final payment date.

 

Yes you are right, the reason for that is before your cancellation date you can simply cancel and rebook (take advantage of price drops). After your cancellation date you cannot cancel without penalty. Which again since your penalty increases as time goes on then it still in the early days, the difference between penalty and price drop may be still beneficial to you. After your cancellation date you lose your leverage and therefore are at the mercy of the company. If you happen to get a rep that wants to work with you, they may throw something your way but are not obligated to do so.

 

Now it is more clear, to why this 15 days difference is important to you. Try calling a supervisor.

Edited March 21, 2014 by che5904

[sparks1093]

Yes it does. It's very confusing.

 

I get a confirmation but my booking number and everything else remains the same (so I still get credit for booking more than 9 months early for Latitudes for example).

[sparks1093]

Yes you are right, the reason for that is before your cancellation date you can simply cancel and rebook (take advantage of price drops). After your cancellation date you cannot cancel without penalty. Which again since your penalty increases as time goes on then it still in the early days, the difference between penalty and price drop may be still beneficial to you. After your cancellation date you lose your leverage and therefore are at the mercy of the company. If you happen to get a rep that wants to work with you, they may throw something your way but are not obligated to do so.

 

Now it is more clear, to why this 15 days difference is important to you. Try calling a supervisor.

 

I am pretty sure that it's still the final payment date that matters for purposes of getting price drops, but I've been wrong before (just ask DW, she'd be glad to tell you;)).

[che5904]

I am pretty sure that it's still the final payment date that matters for purposes of getting price drops, but I've been wrong before (just ask DW, she'd be glad to tell you;)).

 

NCL really doesn't have a "price drop" policy like ie. Carnival do they? So the only reason I can see they agree to price drops is the customer has the upper hand and can just cancel and rebook. Easier to just do it, instead of having an upset customer that has to go to the work themselves.

 

If you read the cancellation schedule, if I'm reading it correctly, you can get your deposit back up to 75 days before your cruise (holidays, like the OP, is 90 days). Then you lose your leverage of being able to cancel without penalty, so the upper hand then goes to NCL.

[sparks1093]

NCL really doesn't have a "price drop" policy like ie. Carnival do they? So the only reason I can see they agree to price drops is the customer has the upper hand and can just cancel and rebook. Easier to just do it, instead of having an upset customer that has to go to the work themselves.

 

If you read the cancellation schedule, if I'm reading it correctly, you can get your deposit back up to 75 days before your cruise (holidays, like the OP, is 90 days). Then you lose your leverage of being able to cancel without penalty, so the upper hand then goes to NCL.

 

I'm sure they have a policy, I don't think it's published though:). As you suggested a call to a supervisor would probably shed light on the matter.

[che5904]

I'm sure they have a policy, I don't think it's published though:). As you suggested a call to a supervisor would probably shed light on the matter.

 

:D LOL yes I'm sure they do too. I did mean for us to see. ;)

[j-9]

I just received a phone call as a result of my email to socialmedia (and maybe this thread), thanking me for bringing it to their attention. They have sent the issue to their IT department to be corrected, and they will send me an updated confirmation when done.

I haven't received the corrected confirmation yet, but I am confident that the issue will be resolved to my satisfaction.

Thanks NCL!

[che5904]

I just received a phone call as a result of my email to socialmedia (and maybe this thread), thanking me for bringing it to their attention. They have sent the issue to their IT department to be corrected, and they will send me an updated confirmation when done.

I haven't received the corrected confirmation yet, but I am confident that the issue will be resolved to my satisfaction.

Thanks NCL!

 

Great news, glad you are getting this fixed.

[newmexicoNita]

Nope, not PLANNING to cancel, but as everyone knows, sometimes life gets in the way. And yes, I realize that where I live doesn't matter, was just explaining why it never entered my mind that my European based Canary Island cruise might be considered a holiday sailing.

 

My issue really is with the change to my contract. I had a contract with NCL and they have changed the terms without consultation or notification. When challenged, they have again modified the contract, but refused to provide the new contract in writing. As far as I'm concerned, I have not accepted those terms.

 

It is the principle. I get hung up on principle...

 

I see both sides of this: I totally agree with you about not being forewarned about the cancellation policy for holiday travel and I understand it didn't cross your mind it could be a holiday sailing, but I understand the cruise line as well. Holiday cruises almost always have an earlier cancellation policy. I have a hunch what happened, the original conformation was the generic one which had not been updated to cover the holiday. Please don't let this issue upset you so much. Of course anything can happen, but it is unlikely 2 weeks is going to make a big difference. Would you still have booked if you had known the policy? Ask yourself that.

[che5904]

Would you still have booked if you had known the policy? Ask yourself that.

 

Very wise statement Nita and one most people that have minor issues should ask themselves.